Nadal defeats Khachanov and the pain and will face Federer

He defeated the Russian to meet in the semifinal (9:00 pm, Vamos) with the Swiss after 17 months. He had to be treated twice of the right knee.

The great classic returns But he arrives in anguish. After 17 months, from the 1000 Masters of Shanghai in October of 2017, they did not hit Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. They will do this on Saturday (21:00 in #Vamos) in the semifinal of Indian Wells. First, the 37-year-old Swiss played his part only disheveled by the wind, defeating the Pole Hubert Hurkacz (22 and 67th) for a double 6-4. After, the number two had to apply much more to reduce the bombings of Karen Khachanov, which ended up beating by 7-6 (2) and 7-6 (2) in 2h: 16. But he finished very touched of the knee right (had to be treated twice in the second set), with stensible gestures of pain and concern that leave in the air the duel with the Helvetian.

Nadal and Federer come to the appointment without having lost a partial in the tournament. With Novak Djokovic down and young destined to take over at home (Zverev, Kyrgios, Tsitsipas ...), the Spanish has the mission of reverting a streak of five consecutive defeats against the man of the 20 Grand Slams, although the face to face (23-15) will continue to be favorable. Everything will depend, yes, on how the damned knee is.

The Russian resident in Barcelona promised to be difficult. And he confirmed it coming out like a bolt of lightning, with an entrance break. Despite the 5-0 favorable balance to Nadal, the Muscovite had led the Balearic to suffer for four hours and 23 minutes in the US Open. Now it is the 13th of the table, and his right, driven from his almost two meters, a deck. Aun, Nadal did not get discouraged, also broke (3-3), had four set balls to the rest and ended up closing in the tie-break in machine mode.

Then came the panic. With 1-2, Nadal demanded medical assistance and the physio placed a stabilizer in his knee. He had felt a pinch. Limping and diminishing at the time of taking out, because the right is the supporting leg, managed to procure a break (3-2) with stunned Khachanov. But he shone and called. Nadal's face was a poem. He managed to get loose and, after neutralizing a set ball, reach the second tie-break. Y survive. Again. It remains to be seen what will happen against Federer. Face to face, the 17 Grand Slam titles of the Spanish against the 20 of the Swiss, the 33 of Masters 1,000 of the first against the 27 of the second, two legends that have won the four 'big' , two veterans (32 years of Manacor and 37 of Basilea) who have accumulated 506 weeks in number one, almost ten years. And a doubt. Will you hold Nadal's knee?